Meet Author / Illustrator
Ann Louise Ramsey

Ann Louise Ramsey lives in Western Colorado with Honey, her Cocker Spaniel, fulfilling her dreams of writing, illustrating and publishing children's picture books, in addition to creating Happy Dog Art greeting cards and Ann's Animal Artistry and playing her fiddle at local Contra dances and jam sessions.

"I love the Rocky Mountains in Colorado," says Ramsey. "Hiking and camping in the mountains inspires me and fills me with peace. My love of nature and my love for dogs are the two main ingredients that have gone into the creation of my books."

"In the 80s, I fell in love with the poetry of Rumi, Rilke, Kabir, Edna St. Vincent Millay, to name just a few. As I read and studied their poetry, I began to write my own poetry. It's not that I necessarily wrote like these great poets, but that they served as a catalyst for me to think and express myself from a spiritual perspective through my own poetry. Through the years, I've written over 200 poems. Some of these poems are longer and tell a story, so I call them 'story-poems.' Two of these 'story-poems' are the stories in my children's picture books, Me, the Tree and Just Be You.

A poetic parable about self-realization, Ramsey's first book,Me, the Treefollows the birth of a pine tree as a little pine cone with deep blue eyes embarks on a fanciful journey from seedling to adulthood. The story of believing in oneself comes to life through the book's illustrations. Enchanting photographic images, digitally created, capture nature's beauty and gentle simplicity.


Inspired by her love for Honey, her Cocker Spaniel, Ramsey's second book,Just Be You,features Honey on a journey of self-discovery, from trying to be like the "others" to finding joy in just being herself. This visually delightful story reminds us of the importance in loving and honoring ourselves, and is illustrated with Ramsey's own distinctive brand of magical realism, showcasing her talent as a photographer and imaginative work in Photoshop. Currently, she is working on a sequel toJust Be Youstarring Honey.


Ann Louise Ramsey and Honey have made numerous library and school visits in Colorado, inspiring creativity in others with book readings and sharing her creative ideas on computer graphics, writing and publishing.